Grace O

March 4, 2025

Published by Grace O

Fermented Foods Preserve Our Health

When I was a teenager, my mom and I made atchara together. Atchara is a sweet-and-sour pickle made from green, unripe papayas and other vegetables. Eaten with grilled pork or fried fish, it’s considered the national dish of the Philippines (see our family recipe below). We also used to make our own pickled cucumbers—both the sweet kind and the salty kind. And because there were almost no German delis at the time, my mother fermented her own sauerkraut and grinding and stuffing her own sausages. Fermentation—the process of converting sugars into ethanol—has a long history. Because fermentation preserves food, people […]

February 18, 2025

Published by Grace O

Velvety Vegan Chocolate Mousse

Chocolatey, rich mousse is a perfect dessert for Valentine’s Day or any time of the year, really. Heart-healthy compounds abound in cocoa, so a lightened-up, vegan version of this classic recipe will benefit you and the ones you share it with. Many mousse recipes use chocolate chips for flavor, but this one features pure baking cocoa for an antioxidant punch and tangy bitterness to balance the sweetness of the syrup. Using vanilla almond or soy milk as well as vanilla extract offers depth in flavor aside from pure chocolate. Be sure to garnish with fresh strawberries or cherries for texture, […]

February 17, 2025

Published by Grace O

Infused with Tea: Brewing a Steamy Love Story

Enjoying a hot cup of tea is a cherished daily ritual in many cultures, offering both comfort and incredible health benefits. In the UK, for instance, the 4 p.m. cuppa is practically sacred—and for good reason! Black tea is packed with powerful antioxidants like catechins, flavonoids, theaflavins, and magnesium, which support heart health by lowering cholesterol and triglycerides, reducing the risk of heart disease and stroke. These compounds also help protect against certain cancers, promote dental health, and enhance weight loss by boosting metabolism. Additionally, black tea improves circulation, strengthens blood vessels, lowers blood pressure, and keeps arteries healthy while […]

February 17, 2025

Published by Grace O

Lunar New Year 2025: A Guide to the Year of the Snake

The Lunar New Year begins on January 29, 2025, marking the Year of the Wood Snake in the Chinese zodiac. The Snake is known for wisdom, transformation, and intuition—making this a year to embrace new beginnings and focus on health, balance, and nourishment. The Lunar New Year has always been a special holiday for me. Growing up in Southeast Asia, I was immersed in the traditions passed down from my family—my father was three-quarters Chinese, and my mother was half Chinese. Our celebrations were filled with symbolic customs, especially through food. At FoodTrients®, we love celebrating the Lunar New Year with […]

February 17, 2025

Published by Grace O

How Do Antioxidants Work in the Body?

Your mother was right when she insisted you eat all your vegetables at dinnertime before moving on to dessert. Virtually every fruit and vegetable contains antioxidants. Fresh fruits, vegetables, nuts, and beans are so good for our bodies because they contain a host of antioxidants that can be broken down into multiple categories. I thought it would be helpful to highlight a few of those subcategories here. Antioxidants play a crucial role in the body by neutralizing harmful molecules called free radicals. Free radicals are unstable molecules that can damage cells, contributing to aging and increasing the risk of chronic […]

February 7, 2025

Published by Grace O

12 Great Foods To Improve Your Love Life

Valentine’s Day lets us turn our thoughts to adding a little more love and romance to our lives. Can certain foods boost romantic relationships and enhance sexual desire? According to St. Thomas Aquinas, aphrodisiac foods had to produce good nutrition and a “vital spirit.” In other words, the nutrients that contribute to overall well-being will also help to ensure a healthy love life. Chocolate is typically at the top of my list for Valentine’s Day, particularly dark chocolate. It truly is one of the best superfoods for lovers. Dark chocolate can help relieve stress, sharpen our minds, improve blood flow […]

January 14, 2025

Published by Grace O

Put These Good-for-You Grains on Your List

Cultivating grains is what changed our Neolithic ancestors from hunter-gatherers to an agrarian society about 10,000 years ago. In the grass family of plants, grains are a part of the human diet all over the world, providing complex carbohydrates, protein, vitamins, and minerals. I’ve put together a list of grains, some of which you may have heard of and some that may be completely new to you. Among them are ancient grains that people are rediscovering and incorporating into meals in creative and tasty ways. Characteristically, these grains are unrefined, have a firmer texture and more flavor than highly processed […]

January 12, 2025

Published by Grace O

Oregon Vegan Mushroom Soup: Immune-Boosting

This recipe is from my latest cookbook, Anti-Aging Dishes from Around the World. Oregon is a fabulous place to forage for mushrooms. There, varieties such as chanterelles, hedgehog, matsutake, lobster, morel, black truffle, white truffle, and milky cap grow under Douglas fir, pine, oak, western hemlock, Sitka spruce, aspen, willow, and birch trees. If you can get your hands on any of these exotic mushrooms, especially morels and/or chanterelles, use them in this soup. Vegetable broth and the secret ingredient rolled oats—not steel-cut or instant—blend together to create vegan creaminess in this light, healthy soup that’s low in calories and fat, […]

January 12, 2025

Published by Grace O

Age Better with These Recipes for Beauty

You don’t need to resemble a Hollywood star to embody beauty. True beauty comes in many forms and shines from within. We’ve all met people whose vibrant health, radiant skin, and energetic presence make them undeniably attractive—proving that beauty goes far beyond conventional standards or celebrity ideals. The truth is, natural beauty is achievable for everyone. A healthy, balanced diet can help anybody enhance their natural beauty while improving overall health. According to Ginger Hultin, FoodTrients’ nutritionist and dietitian, nourishing your body with the right foods can support long-term beauty in several key ways: Skin elasticity and color ● Hair […]